Saturday, December 15, 2007

Training Need analysis

Employees are the greatest asset which assists in achieving business objectives. To get best from employees it is essential that they be provided with appropriate training on all aspects of their work. Training is an excellent way for employees to learn new skills and knowledge and to reinforce good work practices. This can result in a change in workplace behaviour.

The effectiveness of the training heavily dependent upon effectiveness of process used to identifying training needs. Most organizations formalize training process by providing a budget and resources for training but this will not ensure the investment is a good one. To ensure the best possible returns for the organization, training and development activities like any investment have to be targeted, planned and managed. First and foremost, the training and development required for the organization to achieve its objectives must be properly identified and prioritized. This is the objective of training need analysis in an organisaion.

Training need analysis is the first step on the path to effective training. Training need analysis means measuring the gap between skills available and skills required for employees and making recommendations to bridge the gap. When need analysis is done, it is possible to focus attention on the target and identify the means for getting there. The Need analysis process also involves others and helps them to understand the issues which are facing. There are five essential reasons for doing need analysis:

The business world is changing rapidly and organizations require keeping pace with this change.

As result everyone is being asked to stretch to do more the ever and to do it faster.

To ensure solution addresses the issue.

To effectively focus resources, time and effort toward a targeted training solution.

To eliminate the necessity of having to look for another job.

Sources of Training Needs:

To carry out training needs for organization requires need information that can be evaluated against the factors. Sources of training need are requiring that relate needs to business. The information must relate to the level at which analysis is to be done: organization, occupation or employee. Suitable source for training need analysis is mission and values, business plan, succession plan, competency framework, views and and observations about ‘how we do things’, performance appraisal records, evidence of competence for individuals, development opportunities, action points that highlight needs questionnaires, job descriptions, performance targets, observation of employee at work, interviews with managers, staff, subordinates, internal and external customers.

Process of Training Need Analysis:

Assessment of present situation: In Training need analysis, assessment of present situation helps in defining the problem. All the other action in TNA depends on making this assessment accurately. To get complete picture of present situation three questions are involved:

Where organization stands now: Start by noting what already known about situation. Try to involve others right from the beginning so partnership will be established for the process.

Gathering information: Assessment of present situation and Envisioning the future helps in establishing good platform for training need analysis. Organization is in position to take steady aim at the target. Collection of information helps in defining what are aiming at and better understanding of what needs to be done to reach future state.

Why we require training: We require training to address the situation. What are the issues, problems or situation that is creating the need or demand for training in an organization? Never try to answer this question without getting ideas from others.What organization issues results in to need for training: The mission, vision and business objectives of organization helpful in this regard.

Envisioning Future: This aspect provides what will be the situation of individual, group and organization after the training has been accomplished. The vision of the organization is very important in this regard because it provides answer of three questions: (a) where organistion wants to be? (b) What would success look like? (c) Do organization have a complete picture?

Gathering information: Assessment of present situation and Envisioning the future helps in establishing good platform for training need analysis. Organization is in position to take steady aim at the target. Collection of information helps in defining what are aiming at and better understanding of what needs to be done to reach future state.

Sorting information: After collection of information require to interpret the information to find out what it really tells about current situation and challenges faced in moving to future state. When organization finishes this step organization will have document identifying major training issues to be addressed and recommendations for addressing them.

Sharing results: Sharing the results with others and developing the recommendations for action can be a heady experience. In this stage of need analysis organization will see the result of strategy. The momentum which is created by the results carries organization for action planning.

Action plan: The last action in the need analysis process is to translate the recommendations in to plan of action. List of activities will be used in the mapping the training approach. In this step we are simply creating a description of the specific training required to improve the situation. The action plan assures that organization will keep moving forward. It assigns responsibility for the training to specific individuals and gives them a timeline for completing the identified actions.

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